Underdog Sports Invests in Game Safety Institute to Advance Responsible Gaming

Leading sports media and gaming company Underdog Sports has revealed its most recent investment via the GuardDog fund, which will go toward funding the Game Safety Institute (GSI). The purpose of this action is to promote the development of responsible gaming (RG) by endorsing creative concepts that improve player security.

Simo Dragicevic, GSI co-founder, emphasized the importance of this partnership in a press release, stating, “New RG solutions are complex to develop and deploy. They require wide stakeholder engagement, R&D funding, and time. GuardDog is therefore a critical initiative as it supports the most innovative new RG ideas with not only capital, but access to a range of industry expertise. We are delighted to be partnering with Underdog.”

Expanding the Scope of Player Safety

GuardDog, alongside GSI, plans to develop product intelligence platforms that offer more accurate risk assessments across various game types. This collaboration will also focus on educating players and creating tools to help them manage their gaming habits responsibly.

GSI co-founder Sarah Ramanauskas highlighted the shift in focus within the RG industry, stating, “The majority of investment and innovation in RG over the past 15 years has been centered on solutions focused on the player. As these initiatives start to mature, we anticipate increased regulatory and industry focus on product safety. A recent survey of major global operators showed that almost all understood the importance of product safety, however only a third are satisfied with their current approach to understanding product risk.”

Underdog Sports has a strong history of promoting responsible gambling. The company was the sole online gambling operator to back the GRIT Act, a federal bill introduced in January 2024, which proposed dedicating 50% of federal sports betting taxes to responsible gambling programs. While the act is currently stalled in the Subcommittee on Health, Underdog’s support underscores its dedication to RG initiatives.

Founded in 2023 with an initial $1 million investment, GuardDog is more than just a financial supporter. The fund also provides companies with expert consultation and mentorship from industry veterans, including Dan Hartman, former director of the Colorado Division of Gaming, and Brianne Doura-Schawohl, a well-known responsible gaming advocate.

Adam Warrington, Underdog’s Vice President of Responsible Gaming, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with GSI, stating, “Our clear aim with GuardDog is to support and help scale innovation in responsible gaming, and the Game Safety Institute is precisely the type of partner we look for — imaginative, with a commitment to rigorous testing and research to develop real, actionable solutions to enhance player safety across a wide range of products.”